Over twenty years I have grown an extensive research portfolio across a breadth of materials chemistry challenges. Through working in a range of leadership positions, and particularly in fostering collaborative projects at scale, I have developed skills in strategically directing research.  Since starting my independence academic career with a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2002-2010) I have I have supervised nine completed PhD students, seven postdoctoral researchers and over 50 undergraduate project students.  Members of my research group have gone on to a range of careers in chemical and physical sciences including battery companies, research councils, central facilities and academia. 

My research is broadly based in the area of using chemical insight to adjust crystal structure and so manilpulate physical properties of functional solids. The solid state electrolytes that I developed from 2005 onwards are now a leading candidate for use in all solid-state batteries.  I continue this work, alongside other projects both applied to battery materials, and as blue-sky research motivated by the need to discover new materials to develop our understanding of the chemistry of materials.

I have over 20 years experience of teaching chemistry to Undergraduate students, and the quality of this is recognised by receipt of two awards for excellence in teaching. I have examined 18 PhD candidates as external examiner and have served as External Examiner for Queen’s College Belfast’s course in Energy Materials.

I am currently 2nd year tutor for TU Dublin's Chemical Sciences with Medicinal Chemistry course where I support students in managing the demands of their studies.

I have extensive experience of managing research teams, supporting positive change at departmental and institutional level and building a shared research culture based around collaboration. I have long-standing experience of managing large-scale change e.g. planning and implementing wholesale renewal of Safety Procedures, Training and Documentation at the University of Strathclyde for the department of Chemistry; as Director of X-ray Facilities in the Royce Discovery Centre at Sheffield, and in leading the successful bid for Athena SWAN Silver award at University of Sheffield in 2020.

At national and international level I have led a range of research related activities: as Chair of the 16th European Conference on Solid State Chemistry, with learned societies such the Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Society or Institute of Physics. I have given invited lectures at many Universites in the UK and around the world (India, South Korea, China, USA, Mexico, Austria). 

Throughout my career I’ve taken a strong interest in EDI and Wellbeing.  My approach to this is informed by experience as a year tutor dealing with the full range of student wellbeing issues for TU Dublin students on our Chemical Sciences with Medicinal Chemistry, as well as activities as diverse as liaising with alumni supporting students into career opportunities or working closely with HR and Occupational Health referrals in a previous role as Safety Convenor for the Chemistry department at the University of Strathclyde.

These informal roles led me to develop the EDI aspects for two large collaborative research proposals.  Initially this was by planning the EDI work for a Centre for Doctoral Training in 2018. I then developed the EDI aspects for a £11M multi-institution FutureCAT battery cathode project that was funded by the Faraday Institution. 

These roles informed my decision to become the Director of EDI & wellbeing in Materials Science and Engineering in 2019. This gave me insights into the management and decision-making processes as part of the Departmental Executive Team and the Faculty EDI committee.  I led our EDI team in a number of campaigns around Reporting Discrimination, publicising women’s careers via interviews with high profile women, and nominating notable women for recognition, such as the 'woman of steel' Kathleen Roberts for her Honorary Degree in 2022.